Your first veggie bed: where, how big and what to plant

The best first garden is a small one you can look after. One bed, planted well, will teach you more than a big plot that gets away from you.

Pick the sunniest spot

Most vegetables want at least six hours of direct sun a day, and fruiting crops like tomatoes, zucchini and corn want more. Watch the spot across a day before you build. Leafy greens, herbs and some flowers cope with part sun.

Also think about:

• Water: close enough to a tap that watering is easy.
• Wind: away from the worst of it, or with a fence or hedge as shelter.
• Access: a bed you walk past every day is a bed you'll look after.

How big

A raised bed about 1.2 m wide lets you reach the middle from both sides without stepping on the soil. Length can be whatever suits; 2 to 2.4 m is a good start. About 30 to 40 cm deep gives roots plenty of room.

Fill it well

Use a good-quality garden mix or veggie mix, and blend in compost. Good soil is the difference between a struggling bed and a productive one. Water it well and let it settle for a few days before planting.

What to plant first

Choose a mix of quick wins and longer crops, and only plant what you like to eat.

• Quick wins: radish, lettuce, rocket and spring onions, ready in weeks.
• Steady producers: silverbeet, herbs and, in the warm months, zucchini.
• The prize: a tomato or two in summer, or garlic and broad beans in the cooler months.

What to plant depends on the time of year and where you live. Patchmates works out what suits this week in your suburb, so you're never planting at the wrong time.

Spacing

Crowded plants compete for light and water and grow poorly. Follow the spacing on the seed packet or in the plant library, even when the seedlings look tiny.

Plant a few flowers

Marigolds, alyssum, nasturtiums and calendula bring in bees and helpful insects, and some draw pests away from your crops. Tuck a few along the edges.

Keep notes

Write down what you planted, when, and how it went. Next year you'll know what worked. Patchmates keeps this for you, with reminders for the jobs that matter.